There’s a subtle seismic shift under way along the shores of Larvotto Beach, the stretch of sand and sea that anchors the eastern edge of Monaco. What appears on first glance as another Mediterranean sunrise is in fact something more: a re-engineered littoral, a 100-year bet against the sea, and an exercise in architecture meeting ecology.
From geotubes to rock islands: the new shoreline manifesto
For years, Monaco relied on the technology of submerged geotubes, empty, sand-filled synthetic membranes , placed offshore to mitigate wave action and protect the narrow 27 hectares of Larvotto’s shoreline. But the tide of time and storms became unforgiving: repeated erosion events, beach loss of metres, and the relentless Mediterranean swell showed that geotubes (designed for roughly 30 years’ service) would no longer suffice.
Now, the principality is unveiling the next chapter. Beginning this winter crews are replacing these older structures with eco-designed rock islets, massive submerged breakwaters crafted from local stone, embedded with prefabricated concrete eco-reef modules, and designed to last a century.
These islets, each about 30 metres long and 10 metres wide at the surface, sit in the blue-green ribbon of the Mediterranean and serve a dual purpose: first, to act as a physical bulwark against waves and erosion; second, to act as living architecture, a substrate for marine fauna and flora to reclaim space.
The choreography of the works: coexistence of beach, business & blueprint
What stands out in this ambitious project is Monaco’s insistence on continuity of life. The beach remains open to the public during the works; only a limited zone is cordoned off, and local businesses, cafés, beach-clubs, swimmers, carry on along the coastline.
Behind the scenes, the operation demands precision. Floating barricades prevent stirred sediments from entering sensitive marine zones; underwater acoustics are monitored to minimize disturbance to protected species; an ecologist dives regularly to verify that no unintended damage occurs in the adjacent marine reserve.
The stakes & the strategy
The value of Larvotto is multi-layered. Economically it’s one of Monaco’s few public beaches, a magnet for tourism and local leisure. Geographically the principality is constrained by land, and its shoreline is a frontline between exalted real-estate and the sea. Ecologically the area sits adjacent to Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows, a priority for conservation, making anything done here not just beach-engineering but environmental engineering.
The new rock islets therefore are not merely an upgrade, they are a strategic insurance policy. They acknowledge that coastal defence must now adopt durability (100 years instead of 30), ecosystem-integration, and public amenity (beaches still usable).
Looking ahead: what the future shore might look like
By April 2026 the main phase is set to be complete, by which time the geotubes will be gone and the aqua-scapes reshaped. Visitors in years to come won’t just see a smooth beach foreground and yacht-lined bay, they may witness emergent marine life taking hold around the eco-reef modules, and a beach-scape less battered by storms. Early indicators are encouraging: after earlier phases this year, erosion at previously vulnerable zones has diminished.
What does this mean for the everyday beach-goer? Fewer bulldozers in winter, fewer sand-reprofilings each year. Maybe a slightly different seabed contour. Perhaps clearer water zones thanks to increased oxygenation around the breakwaters, since one of the modifications splits the central breakwater to improve water-flow and marine health.
